Andrew Minifie acquitted of gun and drug charges after Berry Mills home invasion

A Moncton-area man has been acquitted of multiple firearms and drug charges after the Crown presented no evidence. The charges stemmed from a fatal home invasion in February 2025.

All charges dropped against Berry Mills man after Crown offers no evidence

Andrew Minifie, whose home near Moncton was the scene of a fatal home invasion in early 2025, has been acquitted of all gun and drug charges against him, cbc.ca reports.

Minifie was scheduled to stand trial in Moncton provincial court on Wednesday on charges that included possessing firearms for a dangerous purpose. The case never went ahead. Crown lawyer Lisanne Maurice told Judge Ami Assignon that the prosecution could not meet its obligations and "offers no evidence in this file."

Defence lawyer Stan MacDonald, appearing by phone, immediately sought dismissal of all charges. "I will find the defendant not guilty on all of the charges," Assignon replied.

Minifie stood quietly in the courtroom, acknowledged the dismissal and left without comment. The Crown offered no further explanation for its decision not to present evidence.

In addition to the firearms charge, Minifie had also faced allegations of unsafe storage of multiple firearms, possession of prohibited knives and extendable batons, possession of cocaine for the purpose of trafficking, and possession of cannabis for the purpose of trafficking.

The charges related to events on Feb. 8, 2025 — two days after a home invasion at Minifie's residence in Berry Mills, a community just outside Moncton. According to the RCMP, three individuals broke into the home and one was killed during what police described as an "altercation." Investigators characterized it as a "targeted incident."

The man killed was later identified as Brian Johnson, 35, of Halifax.

Two other individuals, Joshua Carvell and Codi Martin, were charged in connection with the alleged home invasion. Both had initially faced manslaughter charges, which prosecutors dropped last November. They remain charged with break and enter while armed with a shotgun, forcible confinement of homeowners Andrew and Brooke Minifie, attempted theft and additional firearm offences. The pair are scheduled to appear in court next week.

Source: Google News CA — Crime (EN)